Search - :: THERION - MISKOLC EXPERIENCE (BONUS DVD)

Unique Release

Spazmonkey | 08/27/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While being a live album this isn't exactly a "live album". The first disc for example is completely new material. This is the album that the fans have been asking for for years. We all wanted to hear Therion play with a live symphony and we finally got what we wanted and it hasn't created much buzz.



The Project:



This was a very difficult project to pull off. Therion does not sell millions of albums like Metallica. Therefore it really wasn't in the budget to do a lot of rehearsing. They also did a previous show that didn't come out very well, so they didn't release it and instead did a second live with symphony show which became this set (some of the other show is on the bonus material on the DVD).



It's not the band that messes up, but they don't perform on the same level as they do on other live releases (they appeared nervous when I first viewed it then later it was confirmed the band members themselves admitted this). There was a lot at stake its understandable. They were out of their element. For example the drummer Petter had never played electronic drums before but had to do so on this show because his normal drum set would be too loud. On the first attempt at this the symphony could not keep up with the band so they ended up playing out of time and such on certain parts even though the band did their best to correct it and then Therion's lead guitarist started slipping up on some part. Which despite a lot of good parts the first show was a total disaster.



They changed a few things on this performance. Therion brought their own singer- Lori Lewis. She is educated and trained to sing Classically but also has a lot of symphonic metal experience. She is relatively new but is quickly becoming one of the biggest names in symphonic metal. Every part she sings comes out perfect. She does the classical perfect and the Therion songs perfect. I's the classical choir and opera singers who mess up here. The band firstly isn't playing with the same energy as usual and then secondly the choir performs badly on several parts. Yet I'm glad in many ways that Therion at least gave us a real live show instead of editing everything in the studio as a lot of bands do (which they had to do on Live Gothic in many places).



Not enough time was spent on rehersal because of the huge cost. The effect is that they rehearsed the first CD pretty well (the classical covers) but then on the second CD the quality goes down a lot. The first CD is done almost perfectly. The second one the choir messes up in places (sometimes it can't even be heard). In some places on the second CD the symphony plays amazingly, in other places it is bland. It was so bad that one song was cut off the CD (Siren of the Woods). However in some places they sound amazing and really shine. On Draconian trilogy for example the symphony parts were rewritten and sound amazing on part 1 and part 3 but the middle has a lot of screw ups on the vocals. Sirius b sounded better than the album and Lemuria came out pretty well also.



The Release:



This album is definately worth buying for the first CD. The classical songs were rewritten specifically for heavy metal rather than just layering guitars and drums on top of a classical song. The first song is a symphonic version of Clavicula Nox which could have been done better if they were given more time but still came out sounding great. Then there are a few short songs that are played with a lot of heavy power chords and they all sound great. Then the end of the first CD are wagner operas that are highly integrated. Much of the songs has no drums or metal instruments and they only come in during the right times and are really played as an integral part of the music. The symphony, the opera singers and the band shine during these compositions as showing their high level of talent and Christofer's good song writing skills.



I've heard a few people who like Therion but who don't like Classical songs say they liked this CD unexpectedly. Though overall the songs are amazing they get boring a little faster than a normal release. With the heavy symphony covers they get boring because we've all grown up hearing these symphonies. The Wagner Operas get boring because they are a little too long and rely almost exclusively on the same repetitive singing through the whole long piece (which sounds great at the start then 5 minutes into it you are ready to switch the track). The one exeption is the really long Wagner cover Dies Irae. This is the crowning jewel of the whole album (along with probably the Clavicula Nox remake). You will listen to it over and over again. It has very little metal instrumentation but even people who don't like operas will enjoy this piece.



The big difference between the Therion release and Epica's Classical Conspiracy is that all Epica did was play a bunch of drums and guitars over top of the symphonies which is what 99% of bands do. Therion actually wrote the metal and classical parts together where they are integrated and there are long parts of only symphony which is what I really liked about this CD.



It isn't as great as it could have been because it is a difficult project that costs a lot of money but its still a pretty cool release to add to your collection."

A Classy and Classic Therion DVD

Peter Anderson | Levittown, PA United States | 10/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Therion's release, "Miskolc Experience", contains two CDs and a DVD. With a surround sound system, the DVD is great for enjoying Therion both aurally and visually; and one of the things that's great visually is to see the orchestra and choir. Now, Therion's songs have always featured orchestral accompaniment, even in their previous DVDs, but the orchestral accompaniment was always a pre-recorded backing track played in tandem with the live band. And, the massive choir used on the CDs was reduced for the road to a smaller group of four to eight singers. So it's great to see that we have the real deal here - Therion with orchestra and a full choir!



There are two halves to the concert (corresponding to the two CDs.) The first half features already existing classical music which is given the Therion treatment. The second half of the concert features Therion compositions, generally their longer, more classically-oriented and sublime pieces.



I especially enjoy the first half of the DVD (disc one of the CDs) as it is all new material. I'm always happy to hear new Therion music. And it is definitely Therion music as the rhythm is intense and the overall feel is metallic, even though what is being played is actually classical music. The choir adds depth and grandeur (listen to "Vedi! Ie Fosche Notturne Spoglie" to see what I mean.) Operatic soloists are sometimes used along with the choir, to great effect as well (check out "First Part of Herbei! Herbei!" for example.) The second half of the DVD, with Therion compositions, is also excellent with the drama and excitement of the symphony and choir fully realizing the scope and grandeur of Therion's music. Probably my favorite song from this section is "Blood of Kingu", which has always been an overwhelming piece; on the DVD, the full force of the metal guitars, the drumming, the orchestra and choir, and Mats Levens's lead vocals (the rock vocalists were not ditched for this project), really brings to light this piece's overwhelmingness.



Therion's previous DVD, "Live Gothic", brought out the metal in full force; it featured metal music with classical influences. This new DVD, brings out the classicism in full force; it features classical music with metal influences. As such, "Miskolc Experience" is far from redundant in the Therion DVD canon. It is a work of art, which needs to be savored. And it is classy, through and through. I truly enjoy this DVD and consider the CDs to be a free bonus, allowing for listening to this wonderful music in the car as well as the home. Leader Christofer Johnsson has brought about a huge artistic success in the realization of this DVD. I'm completely thrilled with it and recommend it for fans of Therion as well as for fans of Wagner, Dvorak, and any forms of intense classical music, as well as for any open minded music fans. Thanks, Christofer (if you read this), and I loved seeing your band at ProgPower VI in Atlanta!"

Awesome, brilliant!

Anelise T. Santos | Santo André, SP Brazil | 10/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This show is certainly one of the most beautiful things that the world could have. Awesome classical songs, and we don't have to say anything about Therion songs! Brilliant Orchestra, everything is brilliant!"